Brendan MacFarlane, Brentford's lead scout in France, has revealed how the club has become so successful when delving into the France transfer market for players across the last few years.

In an exclusive chat with Get French Football News, MacFarlane revealed how the signings of Neal Maupay, Said Benrahma, Julian Jeanvier and Bryan Mbeumo have worked out for the Bees in the last couple of years.

MacFarlane said: "I’m often left a bit bemused by the negative overall opinion the average French fan seems to have of the country’s second division.

"Although the level of football isn’t always of the greatest standard, I feel that it’s a league that possesses several advantages. It’s a competitive league, and though the atmosphere is often a lot less impressive than in the English or German second-tiers, I think it serves as a perfect development league for two main reasons.

Firstly, people outside of France often forget the size of the country – metropolitan France is around eight times larger than England, therefore players moving from Ligue 2 can adapt easily to the nature of travelling to away matches and overnights when they move to a Championship club.

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"Players regularly travel the length and breadth of the country, often flying to matches, from as far north as Valenciennes to as far south as Corsica.

"Secondly, I think French players have a very good tactical understanding of the sport, as teams in France often play in a whole multitude of different positions, in comparison to simply playing 4-4-2 or 4-2-3-1 as is often the case in the UK.

"Finally, players are often required to play in several positions in France, i.e. it’s not unusual for a left-sided centre-back to have also played left-back and left defensive midfield throughout the course of a season. "

Maupay joined the club in the summer of 2017 and spent two seasons with the club, scoring 41 goals in 95 appearances before he moved onto Premier League side Brighton & Hove Albion in the summer for a £16 million fee.

Benrahma has been one of the standout players for the Bees this season, as his form has attracted the interest of Aston Villa, with the winger having scored 16 goals in 69 appearances since arriving at Griffin Park in 2018.

Centre-back Jeanvier signed for the club in 2018 from Ligue 2 side Reims and has currently made 49 appearances for the side as well as scoring five goals, becoming a crucial part of the Brentford setup,

Mbeumo arrived at the club last summer and has instantly become a success with the Bees, the winger having scored 11 goals in 26 appearances so far this season.

The Verdict

Brentford have exploited the French transfer market excellently, and McFarlane has played a big part in making that happen.

The scout has found a gap in the transfer market that works extremely well for Brentford, and it is a surprise that other Championship clubs aren't trying to sign players from the French leagues more often.